Dual-color ELISPOT assay for analyzing cytokine balance

A dual-color enzyme-linked immunospot (ELISPOT) assay enabled us to analyze three kinds of cytokine-secreting cells simultaneously. T helper (Th) cells can be subdivided into at least two distinct functional subsets based on their cytokine secretion profiles. The first type of clones (Th1) produces interleukin (IL)-2 and interferon (IFN)-gamma but not IL-4 or IL-5. The second type of clones (Th2) produces IL-4 and IL-5 but not IL-2 or IFN-gamma. Furthermore, the presence of the third type (Th0) cell, which is a precursor of Th1 or Th2 cells, has been demonstrated to produce both Th1- and Th2-type cytokines. The dual-color ELISPOT assay is developed to differentiate these three subtypes of Th cells in an identical well. In the system, the red spots corresponding to IL-2-secreting cells (Th1) were developed with horseradish peroxidase and amino-ethyl-carbazole/H2O2. The light blue spots corresponding to IL-4-secreting cells (Th2) were developed with alkaline phosphatase and Vector blue (chromogenic substrate for alkaline phosphatase). The mixed colored (indigo) spots corresponding to both kinds of cytokine-secreting cells (Th0 cells) were developed with both chromogenic substrates. With this system, we could detect the IL-2- and/or IL-4-secreting cells simultaneously in a murine spleen cell or human peripheral mononuclear cell preparation.